War
by theangel1710
Summary: "There are some things you can't see but choose to believe in, reasons you have but can't explain, mistakes you can't bring yourself to regret and a love so hopeless but you still choose to fight for." In which Santana fights for what was once hers.
1. Prologue: Drunken Mess

**Prologue**

No matter how brave or stoic or emotionless a person may be, it is inevitable that a time will come when their shell or mask or ice will crack. When that time comes, they are as vulnerable as they can be. The smallest crack will cause them pain so unbelievably unbearable that life becomes an impossible burden to carry. If you were presented a person in such a state, wouldn't you agree that they have the right to cry – that they have a right to breakdown?

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><p>Quinn sighed as she walked through the deserted and all too familiar streets of Lima. It was two o' clock in the morning and the wind was making her shiver. The only reason why she was out there instead of being in her bed, under the warm covers, and enjoying the chilly aftermath of the rain <em>indoors <em>was because a bar downtown had texted her to come fetch a certain Santana Lopez.

Apparently, she was incapable of dragging herself home because of too much alcohol. It's been so long since something like this happened. She could still remember the first time Santana ended up as a useless heap in that particular bar. It was after she got herself laid with an unknown guy she met at a party. It was her first time. Quinn and Brittany had to go get her from the bar and Brittany had to stay with her till the next morning because she wouldn't stop puking out alcohol. Twice or three times the incident happened again but for different reasons. It came to a point when Quinn had to leave her number to the manager so they can contact her whenever Santana came alone and was too drunk to take care of herself.

When incidents like these happen, one had to prepare to witness something life-changing or if not simply shocking. It was one of those incidents that Quinn or any other person will probably never get used to.

Quinn reached for the door knob and enjoyed the nostalgia that the wind chimes brought to her as she pushed the door open. A woman in her forties greeted her and thanked her. No more words were needed when she gestured to the table at the far end of the bar. Quinn muttered a silent 'thank you' to the woman who was the manager (the name always escapes her) and proceeded on to approaching the figure slumped miserably on the table.

The table was covered with bottles of beer, vodka, and other beverages with alcohol that she didn't even want to know what they were. It was a clear effort to fill the empty space and an attempt to find comfort. Cautiously, she laid a hand on Santana's shoulder, not wanting to startle her because the last time that happened, a beer bottle almost ruined her face.

"Hey." Quinn said softly.

When the girl turned to look at her, Quinn could suddenly understand but, in any way, will never be able to put into words the pain that her friend was going through. Her eyes were dull and lifeless as if she had died a thousand times. Her face contorted with pain and despair and heartbreak. But most importantly, streams of bitter tears were running down her cheeks. As far as Quinn knew, she doesn't cry. Santana was a rock, for pete's sake. But despite that, here she was. Quinn's eyes softened at the sight. She should have expected this. After all, even a rock can break.

"Oh, San..." She muttered before reaching out and taking the bottle out of her hand. She was met with little resistance and instead brown, agonizingly empty eyes watched her quietly.

"Q." It's been so long since she called her that. Usually it would have been "preggers" or "mother" or any other nickname related to her pregnancy experience.

"Q, I lost her." The floodgates opened and more tears flowed before Quinn had time to react.

She knew what she was talking about. During the last few days and especially after Regionals, she noticed the glares she sent Artie whenever he and Brittany were together, the way she always rushed out after Glee practice, and the way she was simply out of it when Brittany was nowhere near her. Quinn had suspected that something finally happened between the two of them after their Landslide performance. And she suspected it didn't go well since they weren't together. This only confirmed her suspicions.

Seriously, she needed a break. Santana lives alone since both her parents were working in another country and at an early age, she knew what it really meant to be alone. Sure, she got straight As in her classes and was one o the top bitches you don't mess with at school. But she was lonely. That was until she met Brittany when they were kids. She was her only lifeline and her bestfriend and her _everything_. And Quinn knew that she was Brittany's.

And then everything changed when high school came. Everything was dictated by society. Even though almost everyone in Glee knew that they were both head over heels with each other, they also knew that Santana can't stand being at the bottom of the pyramid. So she denied her heart and Brittany's what it so badly wanted: to be with each other.

Long after Quinn dragged Santana home and got her clean enough for bed (a task that was by no means easyespecially when you're technically taking care of a corpse), and just as she was about to leave and head back to her own home, Santana utters something as she sailed in the middle of reality and of dreams that makes her heart break a little for the girl who was after all, just an ordinary girl who was desperately and utterly in love with her bestfriend.

"This fucking hurts."

Indeed, it does.

Many had the belief that Santana Lopez is unbreakable - that she is invulnerable. Many assumed that she doesn't break down or give up or cry. But here she was, in a lonely bar, holding an empty bottle, and nursing a broken heart. Santana may be a rock. But she was also human.

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><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! This is a little something I've had in my head for a while now. And I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. Feedback is always welcome as well as constructive criticisms. No flames please. **

**Till the next chapter!**

**Brittana forever,**

**theangel1710**


	2. Chapter 1: For Her

Chapter 1: For Her

"_The greatest thing that can happen in your life is to love and be loved in return."_

Santana woke up to the sound of her phone going off. It was making her hangover feel a lot worse than it already was and she was beginning to wonder why the hell she chose the sound of a _siren _for her ring tone. She was also on the verge of throwing her phone out of her open window that was, by the way, letting the storm raging outside enter the dark room.

"Ugh. . ." Talk about a bad morning. Santana dragged herself out of bed, stumbling a few times, to shut the window ungracefully.

The effort of trying to walk properly to her window drained her so much that she only had the energy to throw herself back on her bed. On top of all the misfortunes she had that morning, the worst part of it was the fact that her phone was _still ringing_. Finally deciding that her head hurts too much to ignore it, she grabbed it from her bedside table and looked at the name of the person with a death wish.

_Quinn Fabray_.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hunt you down and kill you." Santana said as soon as she accepted the call, her voice dripping with venom.

"Because I'm the one who dragged your drunken ass out of the bar and forced you to clean yourself up to prevent the scent of alcohol from stinking your bed which I know you don't like. You're welcome." Quinn said bluntly. Seriously, Quinn may be off the Cheerios, but she couldn't get her head cheerleader side out of her system.

Santana sighed. Bits and pieces of last night were coming back to her and she did catch a flash of Quinn's face somewhere along the slide show. Santana and Quinn weren't exactly the best of friends but both knew that they could rely on each other when they have no were to turn to – no matter how much of a bitch Santana may be or how bossy Quinn can be.

But that didn't mean that they couldn't hate each others guts.

"Do you even remember what happened to you last night?"

"Not much and you calling isn't helping." There was a pause and for a few seconds of hesitation, Santana mumbled a quick "thank you for last night." Quinn laughed obviously amused at the way Santana seemed to hate having to thank her.

"I'm guessing, you're having a really bad headache. Are you going to make an effort to go to school?" Santana knew that she had missed half of her classes already and that she had no more classes besides Spanish and Math. She also knew that both classes had a certain Brittany Pierce in them.

"I can't even look at my clock properly. So, no, Fabray. I'm not going to school today." It was an excuse, though she was pretty sure that Quinn knew why. This conversation was burning every brain cell she had that wasn't contaminated with alcohol and it was making her headache worse. Quinn could sense the irritation coming from Santana since it was evident with the hushed string of curses she was hearing from the other line. She had to stop herself from laughing.

"I'm coming over later as soon as classes end. Don't argue." Santana was about to show her just how colorful her vocabulary was. "Do you want me to bring Britt?" Quinn added just for fun.

"NO!" God, even her own voice was torturing her. But she knew that the sight of Brittany would only torture her more and on levels even she couldn't handle. Funny how someone like her could be reduced to this because of a girl and her best friend at that.

"Okay okay, jeez, relax. I'll see you later, bye." Santana made no effort to reply and quickly set the phone back down, determined to fall back asleep.

Almost as soon as Santana closed her eyes, she found it impossible to sleep since she kept seeing Brittany's face and every time it flashed across her mind, pain would shoot through her heart and she just can't handle _both _the pain in her heart and in her head. Giving up on the idea of sleeping, Santana crawled out of bed, tied her hair to a high ponytail in an effort to look presentable, and went to the kitchen in her white shirt and block boxers to make herself a cup of coffee.

The storm was still raging outside and as she sat on her couch (it was hers since she hardly saw her parents sitting on it) looking outside, she couldn't help thinking how she would feel a lot better if Brittany was there. She would make her coffee exactly the way she liked it and comb her hair with her fingers to soothe the headache. She would say nothing for hours until she knew that Santana felt better. And then Brittany would kiss her the minute she flashed her a pain-free smile.

But she wasn't there. She was with Artie. Lucky bastard.

'_You're still dating Sam?'_

As much as she wanted to blame it all on Artie, she knew that this happened because she rejected her first. The confusion and the hint of hurt in her voice when she asked about Sam was something she couldn't forget. It was proof that she hurt Brittany again. Santana laughed bitterly. It seemed all she does nowadays is hurt the one person that mattered to her the most.

"Nice practice, man."

Football practice had just finished and everyone was congratulating each other for a good practice. Even Beiste was happy – and that was saying something. Sam was in the process of removing his clothes o he could shower the sweat off when he heard his phone ring. It was Santana.

"Hey, babe."

"Sam. We need to break up." Sam froze and wasn't sure if he heard it right.

"…what?"

"We. Need. To. Break. Up." Sam had been expecting this sooner or later. While it was true that he didn't get the point of the performance of _Landslide_ right away, it became clear to him when Santana bawled her eyes out when he asked about her and Brittany. But she wouldn't tell him anything and he ended up trying to comfort her instead of having sex. He had left when she finally cried herself to sleep.

"Sam?" He was pulled out his thoughts by Santana's stern voice. Sam sighed.

"Is this about Brittany?" Santana's breath hitched in her throat and Sam heard the sharp intake of air.

"No." But both of them knew it was a lie. Santana hated the fact that her voice was cracking.

"You love her." Sam stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He was alone in the locker room now and as much as he wanted to go take a shower, he knew Santana needed this – even if she will never admit it.

"And you love Quinn." Santana countered, unsure where this conversation was going.

"Yes. Yes, I do. At least I'm man enough to admit it. Question is, can you?" Thank goodness, he was alone.

"I'm not a _man_, Trouty, if you haven't noticed."

"I know you're not. And you don't have to be a man. You just have to be the girl who's so in love with her best friend, so much that she's ready to admit to herself and to the world that she is."

By now, Santana was at a loss for words. She knew Sam was right. Her racing heart told her that much.

"What if… What if I can't do it?" Sam's eyes softened as he heard the vulnerability of Santana's voice.

"You can. You're Lopez, aren't you? _The _bitch. The one who knocked a guy to next week because he tripped on Brittany and didn't apologize for it."

"This is different." No shit, Sam thought.

"Maybe. But you were a bitch who fought for her reputation and her best friend's. Why not be the bitch that's fighting for something or _someone_ that's actually worth something so much more than a good image?" There was a pause. Sam knew Santana was scared. But really, she can't live the rest of her life hiding behind the mask that McKinley knew.

"…oh my God." And just like that, Santana hung up on him. Sam sighed. Time to hit the showers.

_They were 11. Still young and innocent, Brittany and Santana walked the halls of their school hand in hand._

"_San?"_

"_Hmmm?"_

"_You're my bestfriend, right?" Santana looked at her, a small smile playing on her lips. She knew that Brittany was confused a lot and maybe this was one of those times._

"_Yes, Britt." Some of the confusion lifted from her face. _

"_Forever and ever?" Santana came to a halt and tugged Brittany a little closer to her. She was mean to everyone else in the school, especially those bullies who called Brittany stupid. She rarely smiled her true smile and when she did, she made sure that she was doing it only for one person. Staring directly at blue eyes, Santana squeezed Brittany's hand._

"_Forever and ever." Brittany smiled. Her Santana was smiling and she wasn't that stupid to know that San had meant what she said. _

_Santana bit her lip. She looked incredibly adorable and Brittany knew that something was on her mind. It was her turn to squeeze the brunette's hand._

"_You… You won't leave me, right?" she asked, timidly. She wasn't used to these kinds of conversation so Santana was a bit embarrassed. However, she instantly felt perfect when Brittany smiled at her brightly._

"_I love you, San! And daddy said that when you love someone, you don't leave them because if you do, they wouldn't be able to see the sun. And I don't want you in the dark! It's dark and scary there and there are frog monsters." _

_Santana had no idea what frog monsters were, but she was perfectly happy that Brittany was her bestfriend. Years later, at 17, she would realize that it was the first time she felt loved and love._

"Oh, S." Brown, downcast, and tear-filled eyes focused back to reality when she realized that she wasn't alone anymore. Quinn had let herself in the house and there she was looking at her with such sympathy that Santana felt like bawling. And she hated it.

"What the hell. Who said you can come in on your own?" Santana tried her best to glare at her but she was sure she looked even more pitiful since the next thing she knew, she was in a warm embrace.

"Bitch. Let it out." Quinn knew her friend enough to understand that she was trying to run back in her shell where no one can hurt her. But, she also knew that Santana needed this, now more than ever. Sure enough, she was shaking and hot tears soaked her shirt. Quinn combed her fingers through the brunette's hair as she let her breakdown.

It took a while, a little over half an hour maybe, before the sobs that racked Santana's body subsided.

"Are you okay?" asked Quinn, genuinely concerned. She was gripping Santana's shoulders, trying to find a sign of the old Santana in her eyes. It scared her. Santana was always so strong and when they were still close, she was always the one who defended her and Brittany. Especially Brittany.

"What am I doing?" whispered Santana. "I should just forget her."

At this, Quinn snapped to attention and then she was on her feet, looking at Santana as if she was vomit. Santana stared at her. She felt empty and drained, and really, she was downright exhausted. She couldn't careless how Quinn looks at her. She doesn't understand.

"Who are you?" Confusion clouded Santana's glassy eyes. Why the fuck did Quinn sound like she was going to cry?

"Who are you?" she asked, harshly.

Santana glared at her tone. She was Santana Lopez. No one used that tone at her.

"What's your problem?" Santana said, her voice dangerously low.

"You're a loser." In a flash, Santana was on her feet, looking like she wanted to murder her. But Quinn stood her ground. "You're not Santana Lopez."

"What. Did. You. Say?" Santana said, through gritted teeth.

"The Santana I know would never say something about forgetting Brittany. The Santana I know doesn't give up so easily. The Santana I know isn't a piece of shit." Quinn knew she may be pushing it too far. But she couldn't stop now. She had to know if Santana can pick herself up. Otherwise, she can't help her. After all, who would want to help someone who doesn't want to help themselves?

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THEN? MURDER THE GODDAMN CRIPPLE?"

"AT LEAST, FIGHT FOR HER!"

"SHE DOESN'T WANT ME! She doesn't love me…" Santana collapsed back to the couch and put her face in her hands. Quinn's eyes softened.

"She does, Santana. And I know you know that."

"She chose Artie, Quinn. Artie. Not Santana. Artie, the lucky bastard." Quinn dropped to her knees upon hearing the utter heartbreak in Santana's voice.

"Brittany's waiting for you, San. Maybe she wants you to show her that you can love her the way Artie does and more. Maybe she wants to know if you can hold her hand while walking through the hallways. Maybe she wants to know if you can handle a slushy for being in love with her. Maybe, Santana, maybe she wants know if she matters more to you than your reputation."

"You're saying the same things Sam said." Santana said, managing to force a smirk. "I broke up with him before you came barging in my house."

"Oh."

"You know, he told me he loves you." Quinn blushed and then sighed.

"This isn't about me." Santana looked past her and stared at the pouring rain. She felt Quinn sit beside her and the silence reigned in.

"Can I do this?" Santana asked, feeling the way she did when she was 11.

"You're a badass, right? And as far as I know, you don't back down without a fight."

Badass, huh? Santana sighed in defeat and suddenly dreading the thought of tomorrow.

"For Brittany? Damn right, I am."

**A/N: Hello guys. I'm sorry I took so long to post this. Again, feedback is very much appreciated and it would really motivate me to update sooner. I Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it may seem like another introduction. But really, it has already started. All mistakes are mine and corrections are welcomed. **

**Until the next chapter! **

**Brittana forever,**

**theangel1710 :)**


	3. Chapter 2: Heaven and Earth

**Chapter 2: Heaven and Earth**

Brittany was awake even before her alarm clock did. She was currently wondering how in the world she was going to get to school with the storm pouring everything it had on the earth. For a while she contemplated on calling Santana and actually begging her to drive her to school. But every time she thought of her bestfriend, she would remember the way her voice cracked when she asked her if she did anything. Brittany sighed. She really did, no, does miss her. Her train of thought was interrupted by her phone ringing. For a minute, she hoped that Santana is calling her.

"Hey, Quinn."

"Hey. Need a lift to school?" How did she know? Is she a psychic?

"Are you in my head?" Quinn chuckled.

"No, Britt. Santana told me you might need a ride to school. Though I'm not supposed to tell you that, okay?" Brittany's breath hitched at her throat. She was torn between feeling happy and feeling sad at the thought that her bestfriend still cares.

"Oh."

"So, I'll be there in thirty?" It's 6:45 and classes start at 7:30.

"Can you be here in twenty? San used to drive by the park before we go to school so I can see the ducks. Really, I miss them. Artie hasn't taken me to them in so long and the only duck I see is the one in his room though he says that it was eagle or something and I— …"

"Okay, Britt. I get it. I'll be there, okay?" Wincing at the thought that Brittany and Artie were in the same room before, Quinn abruptly stopped Brittany's rambling.

"Yay! Thanks Quinn!"

"Anytime."

Thirty-five minutes later, Brittany is in Quinn's car, grinning like she just won a life-size duck. They are on their way to school just after Quinn took her to the park. Her smile was infectious and Quinn found herself grinning and laughing along with her. It is only thanks to the years they spent together that Quinn was able to see the sadness that would flicker in Brittany's bright, blue eyes. Sure enough, just as Quinn was able to park her car, Brittany blurted out the reason for it.

"I wish San was here." Bright, blue eyes dropped and just like that, the bubbly Brittany was replaced by a lost Brittany. Quinn watched her gather her thoughts. She had long since known that it was useless to push Brittany in times like these.

"I – I didn't mean to hurt her, Q. I'm just scared that she'd leave me again the way she did when Rachel said something too confusing for me to understand. And – and if she leaves again, where will I go?"

Quinn's eyes softened. She really did look like a lost puppy right now and she can't help but realize that it was the same way Santana looked at her when Quinn picked her up from the bar. These two were two halves of a whole. Together they brought life. One cannot function fully without the other. They were blue and brown. Heaven and earth. They were perfect for each other. Beside her, Brittany sniffled and it usually meant the start of tears. Quinn laid a hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a hug.

Outside, in the pouring rain, brown, guilt-stricken eyes watched them wishing she too can give the blonde the hug that she knew both of them needs.

Maybe it was wrong for Brittany to make Santana come out of her shell and then shoot her down. Maybe it was wrong for Santana to put her reputation before Brittany. Maybe it was wrong for them to be avoiding each other like the plague. But it's definitely not wrong for the both of them to fix this and find out every reason why they should be together and tell the world about it.

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><p>"All wet Santana? Want me to warm you up?" Complete with a mischievous tone and a sly look, Puck greeted a dripping wet Santana as she rounded a corner to get to the Cheerio's locker room. She's not supposed to be there but she didn't give a damn. It's freezing cold.<p>

"Shut up. Why are you even here?"

"Whoa there, babe. Tone down the glare. I saw you at the parking lot." Santana's heart thudded painfully against her chest. It was more than enough that Sam and Quinn knew how weak she can be. But including Puck into the picture is simply out of the question. Not trusting her mouth, she moved past him and grabbed a change of clothes in her locker that she was yet to clean.

It's stupid, she knows. She's running away again. Her brows furrowed and she paused. She realized that Puck was waiting for her to say something. Argh, fuck it. She turned around and faced him. Let them know! Santana Lopez is so done hiding.

"I'm a lesbian, Puckerman." His jaw dropped. "I'm totally gay for Brittany Pierce and if you ever lay a hand on her, I swear to all that's holy, I'm going to rip open your balls." Santana declared with a smirk. Unexpectedly, Puck began to laugh. He took a step closer and patted her head.

"Atta girl! Or guy. Or whatever." Puck was smiling at her. "Besides, you don't have to worry about me hitting on your girl, I have Lauren remember?" Santana had not seen this coming and she was staring completely dumbfounded at the guy she used to have sex with.

"So what are you gonna do?"

"I—wha—what?" God, she sounded stupid.

"Aw, come on Santana! I'm not that blind! The way you stared at Quinn and Brittany was really not the way a bestfriend looks at her bestfriend. I've known since you whispered her name after sex that one time when we were both drunk. Not cool, though." Santana blushed and stepped back from Puck. He smiled kindly at her, understanding.

"Sorry."

"Well, now what?"

"She's with Artie."

"Cut the crap, Santana." Santana sighed. Everybody's telling her the same thing. Fight for her. And she does intend to do that… when she's ready.

"She can't wait forever, ya know." Puck knew that Quinn must have told her what she needs to do. But he knew that more than anything, there was one thing that they didn't tell her. Because if they did, she wouldn't be standing under the rain in the parking lot. "Love her Santana."

Santana turned her back on him and without warning, punched the lockers pouring every bit of bitterness in it.

"I do! I love her. God, I'd give the world to her."

"Then give it to her. What's stopping you? Artie doesn't love her the way you do. He doesn't deserve her." All this, Puck knows that she knows. She just needs someone to tell her. Santana whirled around and there, in her eyes, Puck saw a fire he had not seen in her since she quit Cheerios.

"You're singing with me in Glee tomorrow." Puck smirked. Santana sneered back.

"What do you have in that pretty mind of yours?"

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><p>If looks could kill, Artie would have been dead the minute Santana walked in the choir room. He is currently trying unsuccessfully to teach Brittany basic algebra because she failed her recent math test. The way her face clouds up with confusion with a simple x + 2 = 4, makes him wonder how in the world she was able to pass all the other tests. Then again, he was pretty sure Santana had something to do with that. The Santana who's glaring daggers at him every time his hand brushed Brittany's.<p>

Being in a wheelchair meant that he had the luxury of time and energy to observe his surroundings. During the Landslide performance, he watched Santana's eyes try to explain to Brittany how much she loved the girl. Her eyes were shining with tears that for him, were tears of relief. The way she hung on to Brittany after the performance and the way Brittany looked at Santana as if pleading her not to go when Rachel decided to applaud the emotional side of Santana was enough for him. Santana loved Brittany. She loved her so much that it was making Artie question his capability to love. Sure, he loves Brittany But he's not in love with her. And he wasn't about to let her go. He is going to keep Brittany until the time comes when he was sure Santana wouldn't leave her the way she did after the performance.

For now, he is going to try and ignore the burn of her glares. Seriously, she needs to tone it down or else he might spontaneously combust. And how the hell can she glare like that while scribbling something on a paper?

"Okay guys, we have a faculty meeting in a while so I guess you can use this time to relax. I'll see you tomorrow." Mr. Schuester announced in twenty seconds tops and was gone before Rachel can open her mouth and bombard him with her plans for Nationals.

"Perfect." Puck muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Santana to hear. Suddenly he was humming the tune of what they were going to sing tomorrow and Santana closed her eyes and focused on blending with him.

Because of his poor eyesight, Artie's ears made up for that loss. He could barely make up tune they were humming but he knew that they were going to sing tomorrow, Santana especially.

"Wanna take this up to my room?" Puck asked, smirking. Santana rolled her eyes at him. She knew he didn't mean sex but it was so like him to give innuendos. Both of them abruptly stopped their antics when Brittany suddenly stood up from her chair and was out the door leaving Artie to follow her.

"She heard you."

"Oops." Santana hit his arm trying to ignore the feeling of hope that's taking over her chest. "If you're gonna give that to her, maybe you should put it in her bag now while she's with Artie." Puck said, motioning at the paper in Santana's hands. It was her A+ math test paper and she had been drawing ducks on each and every equation knowing that it always helped Brittany understand.

Getting up, Santana tried to hide her blushing face, embarrassed that she was caught in the act. Instead, she focused on getting the damn test paper inside Brittany's bag and looking at Quinn, silently asking her to take Brittany home. Quinn nodded and smiled encouragingly at her upon eavesdropping and finding out what she was up to. Santana offered a small smile in gratitude. She seriously owed Quinn.

She turned around and motioned to Puck that they can go now. Santana knew that she had almost everything she needed. Quinn, Puck, and Sam were there to support her. And yes, she had her perfect voice and the aura to get the club's attention. She also had the way Brittany walked out as an inspiration. But there was one more thing she needed: the courage to sing her heart out.

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you for reading! Again, I don't have time to proofread this or ask anyone to edit it for me so all mistakes are mine. Please, please, please review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except my dogs. **

**Brittana forever,**

**theangel1710 **


	4. Chapter 3: Showdown

**Chapter 3: Showdown**

"Thanks for the ride, Quinn."

"Sure, Britt." Brittany flashed her friend a dazzling smile before opening the car door and making a run for it. It was still raining and weather forecast says that it will continue to do so for another couple of days.

"Mom, Dad! I'm home!"

"I'm in the kitchen, dear!" Brittany practically bounced to the kitchen. She was starving and the thought of food may just be a piece of heaven for her right now.

Mrs. Pierce chuckled at her daughter's eagerness. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned to slide a plate of food to Brittany on the counter as the blonde planted herself on a stool. Before the plate could even reach her, Brittany was already digging in, sighing in relief.

"Is dad home yet?"

"Nope. Not until later. Something went wrong with a check a client gave the bank so he has to fix that." Brittany nodded, feeling confident that her dad can work things out.

While Brittany dug in, Mrs. Pierce took this as an opportunity to observe her daughter. Over the past few months, she looked somewhat downcast and she was guessing it had something to do with the frequency of Santana's visits. Until a week ago, Santana came to have dinner with the Pierces and then help Brittany with her homework. Now, however, she hasn't seen the girl at all. Brittany definitely looked like she was crying herself to sleep every night and she was worried about the two of them.

"I haven't seen Santana lately." She looked out at the pouring rain, a small smile playing on her lips. "I remember she would make you hot cocoa during days like this."

"Yeah. . ."

"Did something happen between the two of you?" Brittany had stiffened as soon as she heard Santana's name and suddenly, her food didn't seem to be so good anymore.

"Mom?" Mrs. Pierce looked at her.

"Hmmm?"

"Can you be in love with two people at the same time like how I love ducks and dancing at the same time?"

"Ducks and dancing are things you _love_. But you're not _in _love with them."

"Oh." Brittany pulled on a very convincing understanding look. Her mom knew better.

"When it's with people, you can't be in love with two at the same time. Loving someone means that you care about them like how you care for me and your dad. Being in love with someone is different. You can't live without that person. Being with them is better than anything else in the world and when you hurt that person, you feel like you've hurt yourself too. They make you super happy and treat you like you're the only person they see. You're sad when you're away from that person and you feel like dying when you lose her." Brittany pondered over what Mrs. Pierce said. Her food long forgotten, she looked at her mom who was patiently waiting for her.

"What does it feel like to be in love?"

"Well, it's like you've got a funny but good feeling in your stomach. Your heart feels like -…"

"…like it's trying to jump out of your chest?" Mrs. Pierce smiled.

"Exactly."

Brittany got up from her stool and went to hug Mrs. Pierce.

"Thanks, mom."

"Anytime, dear. You and Santana will be okay, I promise."

Brittany let her go and flashed a smile before hurrying up to her room to do her homework. Mrs. Pierce watched her daughter go as she hoped and prayed that things will indeed be alright in the end. God knows no one can teach Brittany schoolwork aside from Santana.

In her room, Brittany was in the process of digging out her test paper. She knew she had to at least try to understand something.

"Aha!" She exclaimed triumphantly as she pulled out a test paper. Brittany's grin faded as she caught sight of the name on the test paper.

_Santana Lopez._

The test paper was filled with ducks and suddenly everything seemed to make sense. It was way better than Artie's explanation of transpotion or trainition or whatever it was. On the bottom of the paper in letters so small, Brittany had to squint, is a note from Santana.

_Hey. I hope this helps. I miss you. I'm sorry._

There was no 'I love you' but Brittany knew better. A small smile began to appear on the blonde's face and tears began to build up in her eyes. Even though Santana wasn't there with her, she could feel the love and care that Santana so rarely shows. Suddenly, she wished it was enough.

She wished that Santana loved her enough to not care what people have to say about them. She wished that it didn't hurt her when she saw how much Santana hurt after she chose Artie. She wished she knew how to set things right.

Brittany cried herself to sleep.

* * *

><p>Santana walked through the hallways of McKinley looking like she was about to pass out and fall asleep before she can even hit the ground.<p>

"Lopez!" She turned to see Puck running towards her. He looked at her from head to toe as he skidded to a stop in front of her.

"You look like hell."

"Thanks."

"Got any sleep last night?"

"None."

"Well, shit."

"Yup." Santana turned on her heel and began walking to the direction of her first class. Contrary to what she was hoping for, Puck followed her.

"You ready for later?"

"Hell, yeah." She felt like puking at the thought of glee. Puck smirked, noticing how she paled.

"Shut it, Puckerman before I kick your sorry ass into next week." Puck laughed as Santana glared at him.

"Don't worry, babe. We're gonna rock that club and your girl later." Suddenly, all teasing vanished from his face and was replaced with a look of content when he looked behind her. Santana followed his gaze and saw Lauren.

"Well, I gotta go to _my_ girl now. Take it easy, bitch." He said before running off to Lauren.

"Asshole." Santana muttered, hating how Puck's life seemed to be perfect.

For Santana, the day went by too fast. She slept through half of her subjects and when it was time for Spanish and Math, she tried to avoid looking at Brittany. When she was sure the blonde wasn't looking at her, it was then and only then did she allow herself to take in her image. Her body was still as perfect as ever and with her blonde hair let down, Santana was sure she hasn't and will never see something more beautiful than her. By the end of Math, Santana found herself turning to look at Brittany and couldn't resist giving her a small smile and then proceeded to dash out before Brittany could process anything that had happened.

Soon enough, glee came around much to Santana's chagrin. She is currently releasing a stream of expletives. Puck is trying his very best not to laugh. Heck, even Lauren looked amused.

"Calm down, Satan." Quinn said as she took a seat beside the obviously nervous Latina.

"Tubbers."

"Foul." Santana ignored her and concentrated on trying to get her heart to stop jumping.

"You try fighting over someone. And then we talk." Quinn rolled her eyes. She was about to retaliate but before she could, Mr. Schuester entered the choir room, Brittany and Artie following close behind him. Santana closed her eyes in an effort to block the hurt. She needed to be able to sing without bawling in a few minutes. She can't afford to go all emo. Quinn noticed the change in Santana's mood and decided, against her better judgment, to squeeze Santana's clammy hands. The Latina opened her eyes and looked at her with eyes like she'd lived a thousand years of hurt. Puck lightly punched her arm in a lame effort to comfort her and Santana couldn't deny the rush of relief that's spreading in her. She squeezed Quinn's hands and nodded at Puck, not quite ready to offer a smile. Her friends didn't complain. They understood.

"Mr. Schue, if I may…" Rachel started. She never got to finish since Mr. Schue raised a hand.

"Today, Santana, Puck, and Artie insisted to perform a song. Artie, you can have the floor." Mr. Schue smiled at Artie who nodded and rolled himself to the center. Brittany looked confused. Santana, however, was panicking.

"What the fuck?" Santana hissed to Puck who looked just as shocked as she was.

In all truth, Artie had no reason to perform today. But he found it necessary to show to Santana the difference of his relationship with Brittany. He figured that he might be able to give her a push into proving to him and to their friends and to the school that she cares about Brittany more than she cares about her reputation. So he picked a song that he thought would perfectly sum up how _Santana_ felt towards Brittany. If he was correct, it would definitely set her off.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to Brittany." Artie started, smiling at his girlfriend who in turn blushed and smiled back. He made sure to make eye contact with Santana and shot her a challenging look. Okay, now Santana was confused _and_ furious.

Before Santana could protest, the piano intro started and she was forced to stay in her seat.

_It's her hair and her eyes today__  
><em>_that just simply take me away__  
><em>_And the feeling that I'm falling further in love__  
><em>_makes me shiver but in a good way_

Artie rolled in front of Brittany and gave her a sweet smile before looking at his fellow glee clubbers.

_All the times I have sat and stared__  
><em>_as she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair__  
><em>_and she purses her lips, bats her eyes as she plays,__  
><em>_with me sitting there slack-jawed and nothing to say_

_Coz I love her with all that I am__  
><em>_and my voice shakes along with my hands__  
><em>_coz she's all that I see and she's all that I need__  
><em>_and I'm out of my league once again_

Brittany blushed and gave her boyfriend a shy smile. Artie reached for her hand which the blonde willingly gave. He looked at her as lovingly as he could and silently wished that he didn't look like a pervert.

_It's a masterful melody when she calls out my name to me__  
><em>_as the world spins around her she laughs, rolls her eyes__  
><em>_and I feel like I'm falling but it's no surprise__  
><em>_coz I love her with all that I am_

Artie let go of her hand and made waving motions on the space beneath him trying to make it look like he was in the middle of the sea.

_And my voice shakes along with my hands__  
><em>_cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea__  
><em>_but I'd rather be here than on land__  
><em>_yes she's all that i see and she's all that i need__  
><em>_and I'm out of my league once again_

Pushing his luck, he uses the piano moment so he could reach to Brittany to plant a kiss on her cheek. She giggled and did the same to him.

_It's her hair and her eyes today__  
><em>_that just simply take me away__  
><em>_and the feeling that I'm falling further in love__  
><em>_makes me shiver but in a good way__  
><em>_all the times I have sat and stared__  
><em>_as she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair__  
><em>_and she purses her lips, bats her eyes as she plays,__  
><em>_with me sitting there slack-jawed and nothing to say_

At this point, Artie tore his gaze away from Brittany and looked straight at Santana who sat frozen in her seat. He hardened his gaze on her, the challenge more obvious than ever.

_coz I love her with all that I am__  
><em>_and my voice shakes along with my hands__  
><em>_cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea__  
><em>_but I'd rather be here than on land__  
><em>_yes she's all that I see and she's all that I need__  
><em>_and I'm out of my league once again_

Finn and Rachel didn't seem to notice since they were both too busy staring at each other. Mike and Tina were doing the same. Puck and Lauren were looking at Santana though their hands were clasped together. Quinn was silently praying for the Latina's already fragile heart. Mercedes and Kurt definitely saw the change and their mouths popped an O. Sam shot Santana a sympathetic look. Mr. Schue was too busy daydreaming.

Artie finally looked at Brittany who was casting him a confused look. He knew she didn't get it so he offered a reassuring smile as soon as he finished the song. Brittany gracefully got up from her seat and proceeded to hug Artie and rolled him to his place next to her. She was looking at him so softly and gently that Artie was thankful he did the song. Judging from Santana's frozen form, he knew his planned had worked.

"Alright! Let's give the couple a hand. Nice one, Artie!" Mr. Schue winked at him. "Santana, Puck, your turn!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Uhh, I guess you could call this one a cliffhanger. I'll update as soon as you show me you guys want me to. I'm getting depressed with my reviews and it's making me think this story sucks. I know it's not the best, but hey, I'm trying! xD Here's a hint: I'll update as soon as my reviews for the whole story reach at least 15. Please? I swear Santana's gonna sing in the next chapter. Thank you for those who put this story in their favorites and story alerts. Of course, a thank you from the bottom of my heart, to those who reviewed. :)**

**Till the next chapter? (and yes, I'm begging here xD)**

**Brittana all the way,**

**theangel1710**


	5. Chapter 4: Showdown Part II

**Chapter 4: Showdown Part II**

**Italicized: Santana**

**Bold: Puck**

**Bold, Italicized, Underlined: Puck and Santana**

* * *

><p>"S? San. Santana." Face pale and lifeless and eyes brimming with unshed tears, Santana took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could hardly register Quinn's voice. Artie singing a song to Brittany and Brittany gushing all over him is something she can barely handle.<p>

"Get your shit together, Lopez." Puck's voice is soft and soothing. She could feel pressure on her hand and realized that Quinn is trying her best to comfort her. Santana grasped Quinn's hand tightly forgetting all antagonism and feeling extremely grateful for the support. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Quinn smiled sadly at her. And she reciprocated with a weak one.

"Go, S. Everybody's waiting." She nodded and Santana realized she was right. They were looking expectantly at her with the exception of Brittany and Artie. Brittany looked anywhere but her and Artie watched his girlfriend fidget.

Santana stood up from her chair with Puck hot on her heels. Once she was in front, she stared everyone down and relished in the fact that she could still make Berry cringe. Her expression hardened and emotions could only be seen swirling in her dark eyes.

"Puck."

"Ready when you are." Santana nodded to the band. The piano and drums began and she knew it was time. Puck went and hummed the introduction; his silent way of coaxing her. Santana glared one last time at her glee clubbers before opening her mouth to sing.

_**I would march across the desert to defeat my enemy**__**  
><strong>__**And I would lie here in the trenches with your picture next to me**__  
><em>_And when I told you it's forever, then it's how its gonna be__  
><em>_Don't, won't let him just take the place of me (No..)_

Puck came in for second voice and he was harmonizing with her making Santana feel more at ease at the idea of actually pouring her heart out in a song. She tore her gaze away from Puck and instead gathered her courage to look directly into Brittany's eyes.

_Does he really know you like I know you, all the little things?__  
><em>_Does he really love you, like I love you, how can he compete?_

She hoped with everything she had that Brittany understands. Santana knew her bestfriend isn't dumb.

_If he makes me fight for you, die for you, would he do the same?__  
><em>_This is turning into way more than a game._

The thought of a dead Santana flashed in Brittany's mind. It isn't the first time she imagined her life without her but right now, looking into brown eyes, she realized that she couldn't even bear to think about it. Santana abruptly broke eye contact with her to glare at Artie with a mixture of pain and anger in her eyes as she sang the chorus.

_Now it feels like soldiers in a war and none of us are backing down__  
><em>_And I will show you victory is mine before we leave this battleground__  
><em>_**Cause he don't wanna leave,**__ and I don't wanna go__  
><em>_And I know just how this battle goes__  
><em>_He don't wanna leave and I don't wanna fight this kind of war_

Up until now, it wasn't clear to Quinn just how hurt Santana is. But by watching her perform, by watching her fight to keep the tears at bay, it hit her and suddenly she couldn't begin to fathom how heartbreaking this must be for her. Quinn had her family, friends, a boyfriend even. Santana had no one constant but Brittany.

_**You know he's not the man you think he is; he's hiding all his flaws**__**  
><strong>__**So tell me what's the point of fighting? Because we'll all end up with scars**_

Puck entered for the start of the second verse giving Santana time to compose herself. She walked back to his side gripping his shoulder. She seemed intent on concentrating on his words.

_But girl if that's what I must go through, then I'm not prepared to lose__  
><em>_Cause I've already bled so much for you (__**No..**__)_

Santana had her eyes closed as memories of how hard the previous week was for her.

_Does he really know you like I know you, all the little things?__  
><em>_Does he really love you, like I love you, how can he compete?__  
><em>_If he makes me fight for you, I die for you, would he do the same?__  
><em>_**Baby this is turning into way more than a game..**_

_Baby cause we're soldiers in a war and none of us are backing down__  
><em>_And I will show you victory is mine before we leave this battleground__  
><em>_**Cause he don't wanna leave**__, and I don't wanna go__  
><em>_**And I know just how this battle goes**__  
><em>_He don't wanna leave and I don't wanna fight this kind of war (__**No, No..**__)_

Finally, everything clicked into place for Kurt. It made sense. Brittany's sad, unsure eyes, Artie's tense posture, Quinn and Puck's reaction after Artie sung, and most importantly, Santana's song. He smiled comfortingly at Santana who caught his smile and immediately felt grateful for it.

_**Getting kind of sick of this battle**__  
><em>_Wish I could take it back to when I had you__  
><em>_I'm always thinking that I can have you, just let him have you__  
><em>_**It's getting kinda hard to convince you**__  
><em>_After all the shit that we've been through__  
><em>_**What, would you let all this happen?**__  
><em>_You gotta try to make it stop__  
><em>_**It's already going too far..**_

Brittany bit her lower lip and looked away from Santana. She's not sure how she should take this performance. Half of her felt like jumping at the thought of being able to proclaim to the world that she owned Santana's heart but half of her keeps on reminding her that Santana _hurt_ her.

_**Girl we're soldiers in a war and none of us are backing down**__**  
><strong>__**And I will show you victory is mine before we leave this battleground**__**  
><strong>__**Cause he don't wanna leave, and I don't wanna go**__**  
><strong>__**And I know just how this battle goes**__**  
><strong>__**He don't wanna leave and I don't wanna fight this kind of war**_

_**Cause he don't wanna leave, and I don't wanna go**__**  
><strong>__**And I know just how this battle goes**__**  
><strong>__**He don't wanna leave and I don't wanna fight this kind of war.**_

Puck and Santana led the song to a graceful close. Everyone in glee clapped hard for Santana having seen this side of the 'spawn of Satan' once before. Santana was grateful Rachel kept her mouth shut this time and right before she and Puck went back to their respective seats, she gave Brittany a smile – a smile that is laden with a promise.

"Well, that wasn't so hard wasn't it?" Quinn asked as soon as she got her ass settled on the chair. The blonde is smirking at her but there was a proud glint in her eyes that makes Santana feel like she'd just been rewarded a medal and gave it to her mom.

"Shut it, Q." She meant it to be harsh but instead she couldn't stop the smile that was forming on her face as Artie's sour face after the performance flashed in her mind. Beside her, Puck laughed heartily.

"Let's give it up for Santana and Puck!" And suddenly the applause was back again and Santana had no choice but to put on a humble smile on her face. Her eyes searched baby blue ones and was happy to know that they were staring at her with a gaze full of adoration and doubt. Santana ignored the latter knowing that she would have to deal with that doubt later. For now, she wanted to enjoy the look of pure adoration that she'd been missing for way too long.

* * *

><p>Glee practice continued and for the most part, Santana drifted off. Before she knew it, glee was over and she's currently in the Cheerios locker room with Quinn who had to get some stuff from her locker.<p>

"Now what?"

Quinn turned to look at her, confused. Santana is leaning on the doorframe, staring off into space with a frown on her forehead. Quinn chuckled. That seemed to break into her little world.

"You know, it's still storming outside."

"I know, Quinn. I'm not deaf." Santana replied unsure to where this conversation was heading. Quinn closed her locker and faced the Latina with a smile. "Stop smiling. You're freaking me out. What's your point, Fabray?"

"I heard Brittany needs to get home as soon as possible. Too bad for her I have to run some errands today."

"Uhm, okay?"

"Oh, for your love of skirts and Brittany in them, you can start by driving her home!" Santana glared at her trying to get her heart under control.

"I can't."

"'Course you can! Artie can't drive her home, San. You know that."

"Not my fault." Though she wouldn't mind even if it was.

"Santana." The brunette sighed and combed her hair with her fingers. She's not sure whether she can handle being under the same roof with Brittany. Then again, she did sing that she was going to fight for her.

"Bitch." Quinn laughed and Santana couldn't help grinning along with her.

Bring it on.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So. The only reason I decided to update this is because the number of people who put this story on alert sky-rocketed. THANKYOU! :) Still, I would appreciate reviews and I might love you forever so please review! **

**Brittana is downright awesome,**

**theangel1710**


	6. Chapter 5: So Near Yet So Far

**Chapter 5: So Near Yet So Far**

Santana sat fidgeting in her car, barely noticing the noise of the pounding rain. She was staring intently at the exit of her high school, waiting for her blonde. Breathing is quickly becoming a hard task and Santana was beginning to wonder why the hell she let Quinn talk her into doing this. Instead of cursing her (because she really did owe her), Santana tried to remember why she consented.

Is she ready? Far from it. Miles and miles away from it.

Does she want to? Don't know.

Does she have a plan? She wishes.

Is she crazy? Yeah. Probably.

Is she willing to let Brittany walk under the raging storm, alone, cold, fragile, _lost_ because she's being a worthless coward? God, no.

Santana shook her head in defeat. Whipped. It's the best way to describe her in the situation she's currently in. Why, _why_ did she have to be so in love with this girl?

No idea. Probably had something to do with Brittany being ridiculously gorgeous, irresistibly adorable, and frustratingly lovable.

Santana snapped out of her little world when Brittany finally made an appearance. She was alone and for a minute, Santana felt the urge to smack Artie for not even accompanying her to the exit. She squinted in the rain and though she could barely see it, Brittany looks like she's hoping for someone to save her. As Santana stepped harshly on the gas, she prayed that Brittany was hoping for that someone to be her.

Brittany was about to step forward into the rain, her face falling as she realized that nobody was going to be there to help her. Clearly, she wasn't expecting a black and slightly beat up car come skidding to a stop right in front of her. The door to the passenger seat flew open and a voice she knew all too well reached her ears.

"Britt! Get in!" Too stunned and desperate to think about what she's supposed to be doing, she threw herself in the car. She was met with brown, worried, and panicky eyes. A sense of security that she haven't felt all week rushed into her and Brittany was amazed as she realized just how much she missed that feeling. She gave Santana a smile.

"Hey."

"Hey." Santana almost turned the car around before she reached Brittany. But then, she noticed how her bestfriend's face fell and how she was about to brace herself into getting a harsh bath. Instincts took over and before she knew it, she was ordering Brittany to get in her car. As she smiled at her, Santana momentarily forgot that she was panicking.

"Thanks. You saved my life." Santana chuckled.

"Yeah well, you looked like you were gonna cry."

"I probably would have." Brittany laughed. Before either of them knew it, they fell easily back into the light atmosphere they were often in during the old times. Almost. Suddenly, blue found brown. Santana felt pain shoot up her chest, memories of the locker confrontation parading in her mind as if saying that she shouldn't be with her in any way. Brittany heard her breath hitch almost inaudibly. Santana looked away, afraid of what Brittany might read in her eyes.

"Let's go?"

"Uh, yeah."

The ride to Brittany's house was far from awkward and uncomfortable. Unlike the times when they were in the same classroom where she would shoot Brittany short glances, Santana looked straight ahead. Her body is relaxed and several times, she had to fight the urge to close her eyes. Beside her, Brittany's eyes were closed, a serene smile on her face.

They've missed this. They don't need words for the moment. They don't need physical contact. For Santana, Brittany in her passenger seat is more than enough to keep her from running away. For Brittany, she's more than satisfied that her bestfriend was right beside her – the closest she's ever gotten to her since a week ago.

As they neared their destination, Santana slowed down – an attempt to prolong the moment. It would hurt like hell later what with her scent in the car and memories in the backseat, but she wanted to at least, have this memory of her to be pain-free. Her eyes landed on Brittany's face. She felt like gasping for air. She was so beautiful that it hurt more when reality reminded her that this girl beside her is not hers.

The car stopped just in front of Brittany's gate. Sensing that she was being watched, Brittany cracked her eyes open and looked straight into Santana's eyes. This time, Santana did not flinch away. She stared back trying desperately to tell her as much as she can – how much she wanted to be with her.

Brittany didn't know what to do. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time. She had always been able to read the Latina well. Right now is not an exception. She wanted to tell her that she was hers and that she wanted to be with her too. At the same time, she was scared. Scared that Santana might leave and it would hurt so much enough to kill her. She was torn.

"I meant it, you know." Santana's voice cracked. Brittany's eyes softened, her silent way of encouraging her. Santana took a deep breath and willed herself to be strong.

"I love you." And along with these three words, Brittany heard what Santana wanted to say. I love you, I will fight for you. I love you, I'm yours. I love you, more than anything. I love you just because I do.

Brittany reached to touch her cheek. Santana squeezed her eyes tight and grasped the hand.

"I – I have to go, San." She didn't want to leave her like this. But she wasn't sure if she could handle her emotions enough to stay faithful to Artie. She felt Santana's hold loosen and she unwillingly retracted her hand.

"Okay."

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely."

Brittany opened the car door shooting one last glance at Santana before rushing to her front door. She shut door behind her and leaned against it.

"I love you too."

Outside, hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tight, Santana wishes it was enough.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know this chapter's a little too short for comfort. However, it's the most important chapter so far. So, tell me what you think. Also, big big thank you for the reviews of the last chapter! I love you guys. :)**

**Brittana is love,**

**theangel1710**


	7. Chapter 6: More Than Words

**Chapter 6: More Than Words**

Santana's eyes fluttered open almost as soon as her alarm clock sounded. Blindly, she reached out to turn it off. The light was blinding and normally, the first thing she would do is to get up and curse. Not today, though. Not after yesterday.

Santana Lopez was actually fucking smiling in the morning.

She hadn't felt like smiling or even showing any emotion close to happiness after she got rejected. But yesterday was just wonderful. It hurt at first. But she was completely prepared for it. Besides the feeling of Brittany's hand on her cheek was priceless. It was all she needed to start another day. And it was only proper for her to start it the way she had always wanted. She grabbed her phone and typed a message.

_Morning, B! Did you have a goodnight's sleep? I was just dreaming about you. We were in the park with the ducks. See you later? Love you. :)_

For once, she didn't care about being a sap. It feels right, okay? So she hit send without hesitation and was grinning like an idiot as she wolfed down her breakfast and even while she was driving to school.

Brittany wasn't hers. Yet. She knew that. But Santana was just glad to be near her again. Somewhere inside her, the pain was still there and so was the doubt that she may never be able to kiss Brittany without having to think about anything else. It doesn't matter. She's going to give this her all and if her bestfriend didn't want her, then she'd gladly have her in her life as just a friend rather than none at all.

"Tone down the smile, Lopez. You're freaking me out." Santana was shocked to find herself in the hallways of her school. For her, it felt like she was floating. Quinn was smirking at her, amused by the lovesick face Santana had.

"Deal with it, Fabray." She may be acting all lovey-dovey today but her bitchy side was sure as hell still there.

"So I take it the ride home had gone well?"

"I love her, Quinn."

"I know. But that didn't really answer my question." Santana laughed. Students turned to her wondering if the world was about to end. "It hurt when she left the car. I felt like I was alone again, a leftover. But then, when I got home, I felt warm. It was like she hadn't left my side at all! And for me, that beats the shit out of pain's ass."

Quinn couldn't help laughing along with her. She could see the sparkle of life in Santana's eyes that had been missing and though both knew that it wasn't over yet, that they were still in the middle of a war, they couldn't help but cling desperately on this moment. And that's exactly what they did.

* * *

><p>If there was one person on earth who could be both sad and happy at the same time, it would be Brittany.<p>

Artie had never seen his girlfriend so torn and yet so content before. Actually, he was pretty sure he'd never seen anyone express something like that in his entire life. Brittany was glowing when they met in front of McKinley. But he was around her long enough to notice the sorrow in her eyes. It was hard. He had to squint behind her smiling face to see. It was faint but it was definitely there. But on the brighter side, Brittany seemed to be bouncing on the balls of her feet. And Artie could only chuckle as they went to class.

Maybe she saw ducks.

/

Brittany woke up today feeling like her cat had just died. Memories of Santana flashed through her mind.

"_I love you."_

She wasn't expecting her to say it and Brittany really wanted nothing more than to say it back. But something held her back. Maybe it was the fact that she had a boyfriend, she didn't know. So she opted on reaching out to the touch Santana's cheek in a way she knew the Latina loved.

Brittany was shaken out of her thoughts when her phone buzzed. Her breath hitched at the back of her throat. It was Santana. Hesitantly, she opened the message and after reading it, she read it again. It took her three times and a pinch on her own arm to make sure that it was real.

'_Love you.'_

It was possibly the sweetest text message she'd ever gotten. Even Artie didn't text her like that. Oh. Artie. Her boyfriend. She was about to reply to Santana when she decided against it. She knew that it would only confuse her more. Instead, she let the feeling of longing and content mix together. Really, the girl was torn. But she was sure that she'd eventually know what to do. She just hoped that by then, it wasn't too late.

* * *

><p>When the school bell rang indicating it was time for lunch, Santana sighed in relief. She really needed to stop floating all over the place if she wanted the horrified stares to stop. But then, Santana felt both was impossible stop.<p>

At least, she felt like that before she caught a glimpse of Brittany and Artie. They were at the end of the hallway. He was holding her hand and Brittany was smiling sweetly at him. Santana felt jealousy kick her in the gut but she pushed it down. Instead, she calmly turned her attention back to her locker and was delighted to find that she was still calm enough to open it on her first try. Hell yeah.

"Hey." Santana nearly jumped ten feet off the ground when an oh-so-familiar voice came out of nowhere. Brittany chuckled.

"Jeez, Britt. You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry."

"It's okay." At this point, Brittany was staring hopelessly at her locker. Wordlessly, Santana did something she was positive Artie never did for her. She reached out and spun the dial on Brittany's locker, successfully opening it. The blonde beamed at her, relief evident on her face.

"Thanks!" Santana flashed a smile.

"Sure."

"Where's Artie?"

"He went off to class. He had a report to present and he says that he can't be late for that." Santana grabbed a notebook and looked questioningly at Brittany.

"Why would he be late? He has like twenty minutes to get there." Brittany closed her locker and looked at Santana, a guilty smile on her face. Santana's heart broke.

"I kinda asked him to take me to class since I always get lost and I can never get to my class early. He said yes. But I always end up forgetting _where_ my class is so then we have to go back here to check my schedule. It's okay though. I'll try to find my way to class before it's done." Santana sighed. With only a moment's hesitation, Santana reached out to take Brittany's hand. Brittany looked surprised and sad.

"Hey, it's okay. It's not your fault. Come on, I'll take you to your class. You have… Biology, right?" Dazed, Brittany nodded.

Santana squeezed her hand reassuringly, her way of promising that she won't leave her. Not while she's alive and not even when's she's dead. She can't tell Brittany that yet. She knows that even though she is fighting for her, she wasn't ready yet. Santana knew that if she was to be honest with herself, her real enemy is not some cripple in a wheelchair. It was herself.

Brittany watched as emotions flashed in her bestfriend's eyes. She understands. She always does. Beside the door of her classroom, she gave Santana's hand a squeeze back. The Latina never let go of her hand on the way here and for her it was more than enough to tell her that Santana was trying.

"You're gonna be late for your class, S." Santana laughed, her heart leaping when Brittany called her by her pet name.

"B, my class is just beside yours." She said, gesturing to the said classroom. Brittany smiled sheepishly.

"Oh. Well, thanks for bringing me here." Before they were even aware of it, they were caught in each other's eyes. Santana's mind was yelling at her for being so fucking cheesy and cliché but at this point, Santana couldn't care less about anything aside from the fact that she misses the blue eyes staring right back in hers. They barely heard the bell ring and ignored Kurt who passed by them muttering something like "eye sex" under his breath. They were in their own personal bubble. Suddenly, it didn't matter that Brittany had a boyfriend and that Santana had to pull her shit together.

Without thinking, Santana reached for Brittany, looping her arms around her neck and pulling the girl close to her. Instinctively, Brittany locked her arms around Santana's waist.

There were no words. They didn't need it. It was enough that their hearts were beating in sync.

_I miss you. I'm yours._

**A/N: The Rumours episode broke my heart. And I'm so sorry for the late update. A PANDA BIG THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO REVIEWED AND EVEN TO THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ THIS. As always, all mistakes are mine. Tell me what you think? **

**Brittana is endgame,**

**theangel1710**


	8. Chapter 7: Harsh Reality

**Chapter 7: Harsh Reality**

"Stay in your car."

Santana raised an eyebrow at the voice of the man on the other line. Normally, she would have cursed him or spilled expletives endlessly. But not today. Today was different.

For the second morning in a row, Santana woke up with a smile on her face. Yesterday was something she missed. They both ended up being late even though they were right beside their classrooms. Hours after they clung to each other for dear life, Santana could still feel the way only Brittany knew how to hold her. She sat up and gazed out the window. She was pleased to find that the rain had let up even though the clouds were still dark and threatening. It doesn't matter.

She was finally able to wear her heart in her sleeve.

"I'm in love with Brittany Susan Pierce." She chuckled, knowing how weird it was to talk to herself. She reached out to her bedside table and grabbed her phone. As she hit send, she smiled both at the feel of starting the morning like this and how she actually felt a million times better.

She's in love with her bestfriend and she wouldn't change it for the world. It was the best feeling Santana's ever felt. The feeling that she knew what her heart wanted despite the fear, the feeling that she has accepted who she is, and the feeling that she was completely and utterly in love proved that Santana Lopez was indeed human.

Santana turned her attention back to Puck who thought it was absolutely necessary to call and order her around. Besides, she was already out the car and halfway down the parking lot when she got his call.

"What? Why?"

"Just stay in the car." His voice was uncharacteristically nervous and Santana knew him long enough to detect the tone of worry Puck tried to hide.

"Too late, Puck. I'm almost by the entrance. What the hell is wrong with you?" Santana continued walking, wondering what was going on. "Ew, don't tell me you're having sex with Zizes near the entrance." She was answered by silence for a couple of minutes. Okay, something's definitely wrong.

"Shit. Shit. Shit."

"Yeah, you said that already. Seriously, what's going on?"

"Sant-…" He was cut off by a harsh word and Puck knew that he was too late.

"Fuck." It was first word that came to her mind before she felt all lovey-dovey, hopeful fucking feelings evaporate into thin air. Suddenly, she wished that Puck and Lauren_ had_ been having sex. She could handle that image way better than the scenario in front of her.

There, a few feet in front of her and in the middle of the slightly packed hallway, was Brittany and Artie. More specifically, there was Artie with his tongue halfway down Brittany's throat. The blonde was oblivious to her presence since her back was facing Santana. Artie's eyes were staring right into her and it felt like he was mocking her. It felt like he was showing her that she couldn't win without being able to do what he was doing now. Santana's body shook and all the fighting spirit she had was flushed out of her. She was fighting a battle she had already lost. Yesterday was just a dream. Yesterday wasn't real because if it was, this wasn't supposed to happen.

Santana's heart was breaking into a million fragments and she wasn't sure if she wanted to pick them up once again. She wasn't sure if she could fix herself.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and her face twisted in pain. She closed her eyes willing the tears away, willing the pain to be enough to kill her.

"I'm sorry." Puck's voice penetrated her bubble and she broke. Before the guy knew what was going on, Santana was already on her way to the Cheerios locker room – the one place that she didn't belong in and the one place that taught her to lock up stupid feelings because of shit like this.

She missed the small, sad smile Artie and Brittany shared after the kiss.

Puck ran after her while at the same time dialing Quinn's number on his phone. She answered on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Santana saw Artie and Brittany kissing."

"…excuse me?"

"She's on her way to the Cheerios locker room and for fuck's sake, since when can she run this fast?" Puck was breathing hard and his face reflected frustration. He lost sight of the Latina as they rounded a corner.

"Shit. Oh my God. I'm on my way." Quinn hung up and Puck let out a sigh of relief. Lauren was the one who spotted the scene first when they were on their way to get their stuff in their lockers. Puck never told her anything but the minute she saw the scene, she told Puck to call Santana and to meet her before she was forced to witness this hell. Obviously, he didn't make it in time and right now, he wasn't sure if Santana can live through this. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he can handle the sight of a person so broken. Especially if that person was Santana.

Quinn and Puck simultaneously reached the locker room and even through the door, they could hear sobbing. Quinn went in first followed closely by Puck. On the cold, hard floor, Santana Lopez was curled into a tight ball, tears streaming down her delicate face. But it wasn't this rare image that scared Quinn and had Puck clench his fists, digging his nails into his skin.

Santana's face was lifeless. It did not twist in the slightest the way it was supposed to when someone's crying. It was as if the tears flowed on its own – that the dam was simply spilling and nothing tried to restrain or push it. It was the face of a broken person. People could live and die and still not be able to feel a pain so agonizing that it renders them lifeless.

Quinn choked back her own tears and silently cradled Santana as if she was porcelain. Maybe she was. Puck dropped heavily on a bench near the two girls, gently reaching for Santana's hand and held it. He was really no good with words but he hoped she understood.

It started out as a small movement of her head.

"It'll be okay, San. Shhh, it'll be okay." Santana's eyes closed.

"Do you want me to decapitate him?" Her hand grasped Puck's tightly.

"You don't have to fight anymore." A sob escaped her dry throat. And then suddenly, she broke. Her body heaved and she would gasp for air. She was the small child afraid of the emptiness and loneliness her house gave her again. She was the small child who cried herself to sleep, wishing someone was there to kiss her forehead goodnight.

"There was never a fight to begin with."

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry it took me so long to update. This is another short chapter, I know. But there are 2 more chapters left for this story, so yeah. Anyway, mistakes are all mine, and I would really appreciate reviews. I've enabled anonymous reviews (I didn't even know that it was disabled). Thanks for reading.**

**Brittana is simply amazing,**

**theangel1710**


	9. Chapter 8: Gone and Alone

**Chapter 8: Gone and Alone**

Quinn expected her to cry her eyes out for hours. Puck expected her to try and commit suicide. Santana did none of those.

Sure, tears fell and her body tried to keep sending oxygen through her body. But it was like she was broken for all of ten minutes. Quinn and Puck watched her in disbelief as she pulled herself out of their comfort. They watched her as she tried several times to stop the tears from flowing until she finally accomplished that task. Santana stood upright, eyes closed and frankly, she looked defeated and was ready to surrender. Her shoulders dropped, her posture relaxed. And when brown eyes opened, it seemed like they were smiling sadly.

Santana was accepting her fate.

"Let's go. We have class." She said, her voice soft as she moved towards the door. Something was happening outside as proved by the collective whispering. Santana was thankful for this – it was an escape from the hurt; it was a distraction. Quinn and Puck followed suit after they shared a worried glance.

Silence followed the trio as they made their way to the exit. Just as they were about to reach the door, Karofsky's voice penetrated the glass.

"Hey Retard, Fatso, Cripple! How's the loser life going?"

At first, Puck, Quinn, and Santana looked at each other. And then as if they had one body, they squeezed themselves through the door just in time to witness how Karofsky and Azimio slushy Brittany, Artie, and Lauren. The reaction was instant. Santana was back to her fighter mode only this time she was practically ablaze with rage. Puck went from badass to demon, his pupils dilating, his fists clenched.

"Santana."

"Puck."

Before Quinn could do anything, they were already off, each moving dangerously fast to their respective target. The blonde was smart enough to know that nothing can stop them now. She heard the yelp and scream of pain even before she reached the scene. Quinn's expression turned grim as she was introduced to the painful fate the football players were currently suffering. She turned to her slushied teammates. They were standing in shock and it was apparent on their faces that they were not expecting this. Quinn laid a hand on Lauren's arm as she faced Brittany.

"Britt, take Artie and go clean up." The soaked trio looked at her as if they did not recognize her.

"I'll take care of this." Lauren closed her mouth and nodded.

"But Santana – …" Brittany started only to be silenced by a groan of pain. She looked at Quinn and then at Santana again. She could barely recognize the Latina as she actually growled, her hands ready to claw Karofsky's face off.

"Please, Brittany." With one last uncertain glance, Brittany reluctantly nodded before wheeling Artie to follow Lauren to the nearest restroom.

Karofsky was on a level of pain he had never imagined. One second he was laughing and in the next, a knee planted itself to his nose and in the next second, a foot crushed his private parts as he fell backwards, effectively shutting him up _and_ pinning him to the ground. Azimio was already turning blue by the lockers as Puck grasped his neck with intent to kill.

Santana can't see or comprehend anything. But she knew she had to kill this guy. _Kill_. She was growling before she could even realize that the sound was ripping out of her throat. Momentarily, she was distracted and actually looked away from a green Karofsky to look behind her back. Brittany wasn't there anymore. Of course. She was, after all, fighting for nothing.

Karofsky saw this distraction as an opportunity. He managed to free himself from Santana's crushing foot and swing his legs to knock the Latina down. Her head his the cold, hard floor and she was pulled out of her momentary distraction just as Puck turned to look at her subsequently being hit by a big fist to his jaw. Blood was gushing out of her head when Santana pulled herself up.

"How dare you." She snarled, her tone feral. She pushed the big football player to the lockers, pinning him right next to Azimio who was back to turning blue and white as her hand clawed his face. Karofsky was screaming in agony as scratch marks appeared on his face.

Quinn was at a loss. She didn't have the slightest idea on what to do. So when she spotted Mr. Schuester and Coach Beiste hurrying toward the scene she breathed a sigh of relief. Cautiously, she approached Santana and laid a hand on her shoulder. She almost cowered in fear when the girl turned to look at her with a look of barely controlled fury. Karofsky made to move again but Coach beiste was already there pinning her player.

"THAT"S ENOUGH." She bellowed. Karofsky's pride was injured.

"You bitch! You fucking dyke! You're going to pay for this!" He screamed. Santana glowered at him but Quinn grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"OH YEAH? BRING IT ON AND WATCH ME RIP OUT YOUR CRUSHED LADY BALLS."

Mr, Schuester was currently dragging Azimio away from a still-seething Puck.

"Quinn, take care of these two, okay?" Mr. Schuester told her before he dragged Azimio away.

"I'll kill you, black boy. I'll fucking kill you." Azimio was too busy gasping for air to formulate a reply. It was only then that Santana became aware of the crowd.

"WELL? MIND YOUR OWN SHIT!" She yelled, effectively dispersing the crowd.

"Santana. Enough, please. Calm down." Quinn murmured. "Puck." He turned to look at her. "Please." After a moment, Puck relaxed and nodded. Santana was still tense but at least she wasn't looking at anyone like she wanted their heads off.

"Come on Satan, we have to get you to the nurse." Blood was dripping down to the floor from her head wound. At this point, she wouldn't have cared. She just wanted to know if Brittany's alright. But then she remembered that Brittany wasn't there. She turned to Quinn, her eyes glazed.

"Yeah. Okay."

There was nothing there. Nothing.

* * *

><p>Santana was already bandaged up and deathly calm when Lauren barged into nurse's office. She went straight to Puck who was nursing his bruised cheek. Santana didn't want to ask but she wanted know. Luckily for her, Quinn relieved her of that burden.<p>

"Where's Brittany?" Lauren looked straight into an expressionless Santana as she answered.

"She's with Artie." Hurt flashed through glassy eyes. "He couldn't reach the sink so he had to ask Brittany to help him clean up. They're okay."

Santana could feel the onslaught of tears at the back of her eyes. She reached out for Quinn's arm in need of something to stabilize her. Quinn understood and moved to sit next to her. Lauren did not miss anything from the moment brown eyes tightened to way the Latina was subtly gasping for air.

"You know what, Lopez? You're a bitch." Lauren said, bluntly. Santana chuckled, darkly, bitterly. "But you're not alone."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am so sorry. I know it's been so long but it's currently hell week. I'll be posting the next chapter sooner than you think so please, please review. :) Oh yeah, my friend's writing a fanfic right now and I feel like recommending it. It's great, I swear. Loaded with angst but oh my God. Sorry, I'm always at a loss for words when it comes to describing that story. Anyway, here's the link: .net/s/7001601/1/Setting_Rain_on_Fire . And I have a new oneshot, it's called Linger. It's not related to this story and there's no character death. Just thought you guys should know. :)) **

**Lastly, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS. Keep it coming. ;)**

**Brittana (or Heya?),**

**theangel1710**


	10. Chapter 9: You and I

**Chapter 9: You and I**

Walking through the hallways had never felt so different for Santana.

In the past weeks, she would look around wearily to see if someone was talking about her behind her back. In the weeks before that started, she would walk the hallways with her chin up and with an air of authority surrounding her. But now, Santana walked through the hallways of McKinley in a way that anyone can see that this is a person who has been through hell and back.

The Latina did not walk with purposeful strides, did not spare a glance with anyone, and did not look back. She walked as if she was leading a defeated army but with as much as dignity as what was left. And in a way she was. She was leading herself back to where it all started to admit that this, _her_, is one of the things that she can't have. There was no pain. There was only regret. Regret that she wasn't able to do anything when Brittany was hers. Regret that she caused this to herself.

Quinn was solemn and sad. She walked by the heels of the brunette, allowing her to lead. She knew that Santana fought with everything she had and she admired her for that. As they entered the choir room, she watched Santana's face turn hard and fierce but at the same time soft and gentle.

"Do you want me to stay?" She quietly asked her. Santana gave her a small smile.

"I think this bitch can handle it. Thanks, Q." Quinn reached out to squeeze her shoulder before walking to sit down. The glee club was about to witness something simply heartbreaking and she was ready to defend Santana if someone will judge her for that. Judging from the way Puck and Lauren sat next to her in the front row, she knew that they too would rather be damned than to leave their friend alone, undefended.

Standing in front of the club, about to surrender her heart, Santana looked around her glee clubbers. She'd never felt so grateful for Quinn, Puck, and Lauren for sitting in the front row.

_You're not alone._

Kurt was giving her a sad smile.

_I'll redo your make up for you. You're perfect._

Sam was nodding encouragingly at her.

_You can do it._

Mercedes was smirking at her.

_Remind me why you're Satan Lopez._

Santana skips Artie's face. She can't handle the smug smile or the lovey-dovey looks she might see there. She also skips Rachel's face because she knows that she'll get the urge to smack her in the face for no apparent reason.

Mike and Tina were staring at each other, wrapped up in their perfect bubble.

_They're boring. But at least they have each other._

Finn was being Finn.

_I don't really know what's going on but whatever's going to happen, I got your back._

Brittany. Santana gives her a teary smile.

_Crap, don't start yet._ She curses at the tears behind her eyes.

"Mr. Schue, I'd like to say something." She starts. The teacher nods at her, confused.

"I'm a lesbian." She deadpanned, effectively catching their attention. Quinn, Puck, and Lauren tensed, ready for any sort of negative reaction. Thankfully, most of them were too dumbfounded to react. So, the Latina continued. She turned to the one person she's ever loved and the one person who's ever had the capacity to ruin her life with just one word. Brittany was staring at her, incredulous.

"Brittany. I love you so fucking much that it actually, physically hurts to do this." She takes a deep breath. "I'm going to stop fighting for you now. But it doesn't mean that I'll love you any less. I'll probably stay away from you for quite some time so I can heal enough to be the bestfriend I once was."

"Santana…" She raised a hand as Brittany tried to stand up from her sit. Santana's heart was crying. It made her wonder how more pain can her heart handle before it stops beating.

"No. Let me finish." She took a step forward, looking at every single face in the room. She saw encouraging smiles, sad smiles, shocked looks. But Brittany's face was different. Hers was the only face that mattered, the only face she'll ever die for. There was a mixture of shock, guilt, pain, and something she wasn't sure if it was really there or if it was just her.

"I've finally accepted the fact that though I still hate Adams, you and he are perfect for each other. He needs you to clean him up when he's slushied. He needs you to roll him to class when his hands ache. He needs you to reach for something when he can't reach for it. He needs you to dance for him because he can't." Tears are flowing now, and she doesn't make an effort to stop them. She turned to Artie, setting her trademark glare on her face even though all she wanted to do now is to breakdown and cry.

"You. You lucky bastard. You take care of her, you hear me? She needs you to keep her company when her cats are too busy with each other to care for what she has to say. She needs you to take her to Santa three days before Christmas. She needs you to defend her when someone's actually stupid enough to bully her." She turns to Brittany, who's suddenly standing up from her seat, tears streaming down her face.

"But Santana, we belong to each other, remember?" Her breath hitched at the back of her throat and Santana felt like crumpling to the floor.

"I remember, B. But you see, I don't need you as much as he does." She walks toward her and places a hand on her pale cheeks. She let her thumb brush the tears away.

"He needs you to do all those things for him, Britt. Unlike him, I'm not stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. No offense." She then looks straight into the pool of blue eyes she'd come to love.

"I just… I just need you because I love you." The words from her heart flow out of her mouth before she can stop them. "I need you because I can't be without you. I need you because you _are_ my life. I need you too, Britt. But maybe not as much as he does." Santana gave Brittany a painful smile and before the blonde knew it, Santana was walking away from her and was out of the door before she could even yell wait.

Brittany was left standing feeling like she just got lost in the middle of nowhere.

"Santana…"

Artie rolled in front of her.

"You do know what you have to do, right?" The blonde looked at him like she didn't know him and then suddenly, realization flashed through her eyes. Everyone looked at Artie, stunned. He ignored them but he knew that he'd have to explain what exactly he was doing.

"Thank you." Brittany murmured. Artie smiled reassuringly at her.

* * *

><p>Santana had never been more grateful for the number of people currently occupying the hallways. That way, nobody paid much attention to her or to the tears for that matter. She wanted to go back to the choir room and tie Brittany to her, that way she will never be able to leave. She wanted to go back and kneel in front of her and <em>beg<em> her to take her, to stop her from doing what she was doing. She wanted to go back and tell her that she needed her more than she'll ever know - that she needs her more than she needs air. But she couldn't do that. She'd risk losing her because of her selfishness if she did that. Santana knew that she couldn't live without her. She'd rather live everyday being just the bestfriend than to wake up everyday knowing that she was out of her life because of she couldn't get a grip on her shit and see what was more important. She leaned against her locker and laughed bitterly at it all. She laughed until she was reduced to a sobbing mess. Her mind was so glazed over that she failed to hear her blonde calling her name.

"Santana?" Santana spun around in shock, groaning because of the sudden dizziness that hit her. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and suddenly, she was inhaling Brittany. And it hurts so much that she pushes her away. Just as she opened her mouth, Brittany bit her to it.

"Kiss me." She said firmly. Santana was so shocked by the turn of events that her mind went on overdrive.

"You have a boyfriend." Brittany shook her head, smiling at her.

"No, I don't. We broke up this morning." Santana took a step back from her, finding it all too hard to process.

"You were kissing him this morning." She snapped, not willing to believe the hope that was suddenly blossoming in her chest. Brittany took a step toward her and reached out to brush Santana's hair out of her face.

"That was our last kiss as a couple." Brittany cupped her cheeks. "You're wrong, you know. I need you more than I need him, Santana. He doesn't know what I eat for breakfast. He doesn't know how to calm me down when I'm having bad dreams. He doesn't know how to make me stop crying, like you do. There are a lot of things he doesn't know about me. But he does know that you need me like I need you. San? I love you too. But I need you to be brave. I want everybody to know that you're mine and I'm yours and that no one could ever come between us. Not even the big bullies. That's why," she let go of the Latina's wet cheeks. "Kiss me. Right here, right now, in the mid-…"

Brittany never got to finish that sentence. Santana rushed forward, pressing her lips roughly against the blonde's and pushing her to the locker. If the kiss wasn't enough to get everyone's attention, she was sure that the loud bang from the lockers did.

Everything falls back into place. The way Santana's mouth claims every part of her mouth, the way Brittany loops her arms around her neck trying to pull her closer, the way Santana was pressed into her, but most of all, the way their lips were moving in perfect sync as if their mouths were made to satisfy one another. No one came to slushy them. No one came to interfere.

"I love you." Santana said as she gasped for breath. "I love you." She repeats, reveling at the fact that nothing can stop her from saying it – that nothing can stop her from loving Brittany.

"I love you too. I'm yours." Brittany whispers against her neck sending shivers down her spine.

"As I am yours."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, it's finally done! :)) THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO PUT THIS STORY ON THEIR FAVORITES AND TO THOSE WHO PUT IT ON ALERT. To those who reviewed, wait for it, imma reply to your reviews. Tell me what you think?**

**I still ship Brittana no matter what they say or what _she_ says,**

**theangel1710**


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